Dr. Amit Kumar was taken into custody in the Nepalese town of Saurah, 95 miles from Kathmandu, where police said he had admitted to being involved in about 300 transplants in the past 13 years, the report said.

However, speaking to reporters in Kathmandu, Kumar denied accusations that he had coerced, stolen or bought kidneys from healthy individuals and sold them to patients awaiting a transplant.

"I have not duped anyone. I have not done anything wrong," he was quoted as saying before authorities took him away.

Nepalese Minister of State Ram Kumar Chaudhary said several doctors have been accused of taking part in the alleged racket, the report said.

When arrested, police said Kumar was reportedly carrying about $256,000 in various currencies including U.S. dollars, euros and a bank draft made out in Indian rupees, the report said.

India has asked Nepalese authorities to extradite Kumar. Indian authorities believe up to 500 people may have each lost a kidney in the alleged scam, the report said.